Communications

Our Office Has Moved!

Our communications team handles media inquiries, press releases, information distribution, and other tasks that involve sharing important information with district families and the community. This page is designed to help staff, coaches, and booster groups publicize their events and efforts. Please see the categories below for help with specific concerns.

CHOOSE THE NEWS YOU NEED! In addition to district news, you can subscribe to updates from individual buildings. Go to Notifications, then click the gear icon in the right top corner of the screen to select the news you want to be notified about. All your news updates are in one place.

This app is available for anyone who wants to follow Dexter goings-on! Student information is only accessible by parents.

Dexter Community Schools is committed to responsible communication with the public through a variety of social media platforms. Only the following constitute the official social media accounts of Dexter Community Schools:

All others that purport to be affiliated or associated with Dexter Community Schools are not official sites or accounts of the school district. For the most accurate and up-to-date information about Dexter Community Schools, please rely on our website: dexterschools.org. For questions, comments, and concerns, please use the Let’s Talk feature.

Email, Phone Call and Text Message FAQ

Where do I sign up for emails?

You no longerneed to sign up for class, grade, building, or district emails. These are automatically assigned each fall. We build groups for clubs, band/orchestra/choir, and athletic teams each semester, season, or year. Request to be added or removed from those lists by using the pop-up tab at the bottom of this page or clicking the email, text, and button at dexterschools.org/letstalk

Why am I not getting emails? My email is correct when I look at PowerSchool.

The email you used to create your PowerSchool account might not be the same one you gave us when you registered your student, and we can't see your personal PowerSchool account. Contact your building secretary to update your email and make sure you didn't accidentally block us.

Can I block some messages from Blackboard but not all?

We can remove you from custom groups (band, drama, sports, etc.) but classes, grades, buildings, and district news are automatically sent to all families. If you use the unsubscribe button on any Blackboard email, it removes you from all district emails. We can undo this if you reconsider, just contact your school office.

Texts are all or nothing. Please put our text ID - 606-80 in your phone as a contact with the name "Dexter Schools" so you will not mistake our messages for spam. We try to use this method judiciously - for urgent messages like building closures or bus delays.

Automated phone calls are all or nothing. If you unsubscribe from automated District phone messages, we will override that preference only in the event of an emergency. For example, a snow day closure or a building issue.

Emails are too long/too short/not frequent enough/too frequent...

We want to communicate well. If you have feedback about the type and quantity of info you receive from us, we would love to hear it. Please send us a message directly or use Let's Talk, located at dexterschools.org/letstalk.

During the school year, the district sends a summary of in-district school events to all enrolled families weekly. This list is compiled using school calendars and the facility calendar. Events that are on either of these calendars do not need to be submitted. If you have other school-sponsored events (including school group fundraisers) that you would like considered for inclusion, please send the following information to Hope Vestergaard:

Event Title

Location

Date and time

Sponsoring group

Events lists cover Monday through Sunday each week during the school year and are published Friday evenings.

Events must be submitted no later than close of business Tuesday of the week prior to the event.

Please note that inclusion of fundraisers for school-sponsored groups is on a space-available basis only. Community groups (including clubs that may be the umbrella organization for a self-funded sport) that wish to share their events should use our Community Mailings option.

One of the helpful features of our new website design is the ability to subscribe to News updates and Calendar alerts. To do so, click on the alerts button at the top of any Calendar or News page. The first time you do this, you will be prompted to create an account. The pop-up window will walk you through the steps. To change your subscription preferences at any time, click on the alerts button and a pop-up window will prompt you to log in and manage your subscriptions.

If you don't want to receive updates for every event on a calendar, but would like to follow single events, click on the alert button next to the calendar item. You will be notified of the event itself in the window you choose (say, 18 hours before an event) and you will also be notified of any event edits or additions.

The district's electronic sign in front of Creekside school is reserved to highlight and/or publicize school events and student achievements. Content is generally drawn from the weekly district events list. If you are a member of a school program that has an event you want to be considered for display on the electronic sign, please contact Hope Vestergaard at least one week prior to the event date.

Please note that inclusion of events depends on space and the number of people affected. For example, music night for three classes might not be included, but a whole-grade or whole building event might.

Twice a month, as a service to district families, the district sends an email including flyers from localnon-profit organizations. This email goes to all currently enrolled families.

Guidelines

Information must be from local non-profit community groups. Information from a private business or a private individual will not be distributed. We do not share info for non-profit classes or organizations that compete with DCS or DCS-affiliate groups.

Contact information must be contained in each announcement.

The following statement will need to appear on all materials that will be distributed or displayed: "The Board of Education recognizes that there are times when non-profit community organizations offer programs or services that might benefit Dexter students and/or their families. The Board further recognizes that when it opens the forum for distribution/display of materials from outside groups, Federal law guarantees all non-profit groups be given the same rights. The attached information is brought to you as a service of Dexter Community Schools. This service does not imply endorsement of its contents by the administration of the school, the Superintendent or the Board."

The "local" designation refers to organized non-profit Dexter-based youth groups with at least 90% Dexter students, confined to children under the age of 19 and whose membership is open in regards to race, color, or creed.

"Non-profit" refers to official tax status.

Distribution

Informational flyers will be compiled by the communications coordinator for distribution on or about the 15th and 30th days of each month. To ensure inclusion, groups must submit their materials for approval by the 10th and the 25th days of each month.

The district will distribute the compiled information through electronic means to parents.

Per Board Policy (9700.01),Dexter Community Schools do not distribute literature or post materials for for-profit enterprises.

Local non-profit groups should review our Community Mailings information to promote local non-profit events of interest to families. We do not share information about non-profit classes or organizations that compete with existing Dexter resources.

DCS Staff often photograph or film students during school activities for educational purposes. DCS may use these photographs or film in materials used in educational presentations or promotional materials for the district. Parents may opt out of (or permit) some or all of these uses at student registration when they complete the Student Network and Internet Acceptable Use and Safety Agreement. At other times of the year, parents may amend their preferences by completing the Media Images Opt-In, Opt-Out Formand returning it to each child's school office.

Dexter Community Schools is committed to making our website accessible to visitors with disabilities. If you encounter difficulty navigating this website due to a disability, please email our accessibility team or call 734-424-4102 for assistance.